1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to masonry tools and specifically to a concrete mixing tool.
2. Background of the Invention
Tools for mixing concrete have been regularly used by masons for forming a concrete slimy mixture from, for example, a standard sixty pound (60 lb) bag of pre-blended concrete such as Sakrete Concrete Mix, which is readily purchased, en mass, from Home Depot. Such a mixture is required when, for example, preparing a footing for a four by four by eight foot (4′×4′×8′) pressure treated fence post.
One example of a mixing tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,148 to Gorr for a “Portable Cement-Mixing Apparatus Having Upper and Lower Notched Plates Affixed to a Shaft”, issued on Nov. 28, 1995. This reference provides an engine driven shaft having plural paddles disposed thereon. This reference discloses that the shaft is sized to fit the mixing container in which it is typically used. For example, the shaft is thirteen inches (13″) if it used with a wheelbarrow, twenty five inches (25″) if it is used with a mortar box and thirty six inches (36″) if it used for a sono tube. Opposing wings or vanes on the tool form an open volume therebetween which causes the mixture to flow properly.
Another example of a mixing tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,569 to Webb for a “Concrete Mixing Hoe”, issued on Jul. 2, 2002. The reference discloses a hoe used with a nascent slurry of dry concrete pre-mix components including finely divided Portland cement particles, sand and gravel aggregate, and water for intermixing the ingredients. Plural holes are provided on a blade so that water and less viscous slurry can pass through a lower hole while gravel aggregate, sand and more viscous slurry can pass through an upper hole.
None of the above structures provide visual reference means disposed on the mixing tool for providing a visual indicator of when water level in a mixing container is high enough to mix with a preselected volume of pre-blended concrete.